Saving Blanka Boutique means saving a small boutique in the heart of Montecito that brings a fresh and fashion forward spin to Coast Village Road shopping. I started Blanka Boutique with the intention of making fashion fun and more affordable in Montecito. I has been my life long dream to own my own boutique and dress women so they feel as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. It is with a heavy heart that I am reaching out, in humility, asking for help me continue doing what I am so passionate about doing. I grew up coming to Santa Barbara to visit my grandfather who lived here for 30 years, for my family's annual summer vacation. We would often come around Fiesta Week and enjoy the parade and beautiful dancers. I loved shopping here even as a young girl, wishing I could fit into the clothes at Wendy Foster and Blue Bee's, but I was too young for them! I dreamt of owning my own curated boutique in Santa Barbara one day, and now I finally have it, but it has been so challenging to keep it afloat during these tumultous times in our community. Please, help me keep my dream alive, and allow me to bring SB the unique and one of a kind style Blanka Boutique is known for.

We have dressed many in our community in what our customers say is, " their favorite outfit," or say that they've never felt more beautiful in anything before. We are known for our special assortment of dresses and resort chic styles. We've also dressed many of our lovely customers for the entire wedding and honeymoon outfits... how sad it would be to not be apart of your lives anymore.

I love being here in Montecito and don't want to give up the fight to stay in business, however, the four or more weeks of lost business in Decemeber due to the Thomas Fires, plus the horrendous disaster of the Thomas Mudslide, causing a two week mandatory evacuation of the boutique, has us really hurting and unable to pay our rent or expenses to keep our doors open.

Sadly we have not been able to receive any insurance assistance, or governmental assistance at this time. We have really been hoping that some source of funding would come through but we have not been awarded anything. We are being forced out of our lease on Coast Village Road if we don't pay for ALL of our January rent in full. If you help me get back on my feet, I will be able to pay my amazing manager, Rachael Gaut (the cutie pictured nearest above), who has stuck it out with me the last couple months, even though I couldn't pay her normal wages. I have invoices from merchandise I haven't been able to pay for, bills, and local vendors I owe money to for their services rendered during the holiday season. Your assistance would enable me to pay for all of the above, plus my rent of 7,700 per month, and allow me to buy the inventory I have on order for Spring that I know you will just adore! This money will also allow me to continue designing my brand, Blanka the LABEL, which is all made in LA with deadstock, recycled fabric, which is good for the environment! I even have several new patterns I haven't been able to continue perfecting or go into production with due to the lack of cash flow the last two months. See and shop my designs here: www.blankaboutique.com, or on instagram: @blanka_boutique.

Montecito and Santa Barbara is such a unique and special place to be in business. I desperately want to continue bringing fresh fashion and serving this beautiful community. It would mean everything to me to be able to keep Blanka Boutique and continue designing Blanka the LABEL. I hope you will support me in living out my dream and sharing my best skills and talents with you.